What's new at our Sydney campus
HSC Students’ visit to Nan Tien Temple
Nan Tien Temple in NSW is a theme-related excursion destination for the Chinese background course students in the Sydney campus’s High School Program.
On 10 August students visited the most significant Buddhist temple in the Southern Hemisphere: Nan Tien Temple. They learnt to understand the place of Buddhism in the daily lives of overseas Chinese people and the nature of multiculturalism in Australia.
At the same time students enjoyed experiencing the the beautiful South Coast of NSW.
New laptop room at Taylors College Sydney
Taylors College continues its investment in technology with the Waterloo campus recently installing a whole classroom with laptops for student use.
The laptop room allows students to have a good view of the teacher while working closely with their friends on their computers - completing research assignments, accessing the Internet, school web-based resources and other resources such as YouTube (to view science experiments for example).
The room has twenty-six laptops which are mounted on a charger-trolley when not in use. The students unplug their laptops and take them to their desks during the lesson. The laptops are linked to the central student computer system and to the Internet by a fast wireless connection, making them completely portable and able to be sat on the desk next to the students' study guides.
The class pictured was so excited to get to use the new room they asked to have their photo taken! (And this particular HSC class have also set a record with thirteen days in a row with not one student absent!)
Check the Taylors College website regularly for more news about our technological developments.
Huge mix of nationalities at the University of Sydney Foundation Program orientation
On Tuesday 2 February Taylors College was a building full of excitement (and a little trepidation) as new students arrived for their orientation.
The USFP February cohort were in full anticipation of the year ahead - of improving their English and maths skills, or learning about Australian history, or the life of plant cells in biology, or maybe even developing further their understanding of language and communication...
The orientation room displayed flags from no fewer than fifty nations, ranging from Lesotho to Mongolia. And even with this impressive mix of nationalities the room buzzed with chatter - mostly in English of course.
It was generally agreed by all teachers that the new intake is a very pleasant and promising group of young people. We hope their year at USFP will be rich from academic learning and brimming with new friendships.
Chinese consul advises on student safety
Mr Zheng De Min, consul of the Consulate General of the People's Republic of China, visited the Waterloo campus on 8 February 2010. He spoke to 50 Chinese TELP students about student safety.
Before Mr Zheng began he wished students a happy Chinese New Year for the next few days. His presentation included safety tips about the importance of students remembering their home addresses, how to respond if they are confronted by a perpetrator, the wisdom in not carrying too much money and most importantly, who to contact if they find themselves in a dangerous situation. At the end of the presentation students were given the opportunity to ask questions about issues concerning them.
After the talk, Mr Zheng went on a tour of the Waterloo campus followed by a morning tea with Deputy Principal Jacquie Hargreaves, TELP DOS Paul Mahony and Chinese advisors. He was very interested in our Foundation Programs and asked many questions.
This is the second time Waterloo campus invited a Chinese Consulate representative to give a safety talk to our Chinese students. It's a great opportunity for the students to receive important advice and seek feedback on issues that may concern them. The safety talk is planned to become an annual event.
New students get ready for high school at Taylors
There was excitement in the air on 2 and 3 February as orientation began for new high school students and year 12 toured the University of Sydney campus.
Orientation began for new students at 9am sharp. It wasn't long before 130 enthusiastic students arrived ready to get started on the exciting new year ahead. The Dean of High School, Freda Pappas, welcomed the students and introduced the High School Year Advisors: Monica Bentivoglio, John Zhang and Jennifer Masia.
By the end of the two-day orientation program the students were brimming with information. They participated in a variety of sessions, including 'Getting to Know You' activities and information about the school's structures, roles and policies. Expert speakers also enlightened our students about personal safety and health.
Year 12 began their first school day of 2010 on 3 February. After a brief meeting to receive their timetables they were taken to the University of Sydney for a look around. Their university course options were explained and some tips were provided about being international students on campus. The trip finished with a tour of the university grounds which the students really enjoyed.
Orientation was a huge success and the year 12 students had a great time on their tour of the University of Sydney. The year ahead is definitely set to be a good one!
Taylors Sydney 20 Year High School Celebration
The Taylors College Sydney campus has celebrated yet another significant milestone in its academic history, with the 20 Year Anniversary of the High School program.
On Saturday 20th June teachers, staff, students and founding members of the original High School program came together for a night of nostalgia and celebration. The event was held in the Ballroom of the Establishment in George Street Sydney, and the atmosphere was one of elegance and relaxation.
Fine dining, followed by dancing and a fun filled evening saw the staff and ex-students celebrate in style. There was also the opportunity to catch up with old friends and ex staff. Dan Moalem, the founder of Taylors College, was the special guest. It was a formal yet friendly night as we reflected on the achievements over the two decades.
USFP End of Course Ceremony – June 2009
The USFP End of Course Ceremony for our 500 completing July and October 2008/9 students was held in the Great Hall at the University of Sydney on Tuesday 9th June. Our students looked amazing and were very excited by the whole event. It is a time when students suddenly realise that their time at USFP is coming to a close and they really will be making the transition to the University of Sydney.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Sydney, Professor Derrick Armstrong, gave the address and 24 students were presented with certificates of academic excellence for outstanding results in their coursework to date.
The ceremony drew to a close with refreshments in the famous courtyard.
